


Like Real People Do

by VoidGlasses



Category: Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Comfort, Other, Romance, Short & Sweet, WW84
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VoidGlasses/pseuds/VoidGlasses
Summary: Today was a very difficult day for Max Lord. Thank goodness he has you to lean on when it gets tough.*Gender-Neutral reader perspective!*Short but cute domestic emotional comfort!
Relationships: Max Lord/Reader, Maxwell Lord/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 29





	Like Real People Do

Dating Max wasn’t always easy. In fact, the first year you were together was a rollercoaster of highs and lows. When you first met, he still worked a classic nine-to-five office job answering phones and getting the occasional coffee. It wasn’t an awful job and the pay was enough to cover the bills and then some, but he wanted more. So when Max came to you one day and said he had quit his job, you nearly walked out. 

Things were better now, more stable, but you both still had rare moments when it seemed like his work may finally drive you apart. Since beginning his start up, Max had been busier and you often found that his mind wandered even when he wasn’t working. More often than not, it seemed like his workday never ended and convincing him to close the laptop and climb into bed was near impossible.

Last night was like that. You had crawled into bed long before he turned off the living room lights. You remembered the amber light of the table lamp peaking through the gaps around your bedroom door before finally conceding to falling asleep and a very sleepy Max sliding quietly into bed next to you, wrapping his arms around you and kissing the top of your head. You had given his hand a gentle squeeze to let him know that you knew he was there, that you appreciated him for being there every night.

By the time your alarm blared in your ear at 6 AM telling you it was time to get up for work Max was already up and pacing the living room taking calls. You stood, toes cold on the hardwood floor as you walked to the bedroom door to sneak a peek at Max before heading to the bathroom to start the morning routine. The soft glow of the morning sun through the curtains illuminated Max’s untamed curls and lit his face in a way that made your heart flutter. You loved when he didn’t comb them out. Max claimed a slicked-back look was more professional but you couldn’t help but plead him daily to leave his loose curls be.

Perhaps getting lost in thought while trying to be sly wasn’t the best idea. Max had caught you spying and refused to break eye contact when you noticed. You could feel your face flushing from embarrassment but, like he could read your mind, Max playfully shook his head and mouthed “I love you” followed with a kiss blown in your direction. You smiled, pretending to catch his kiss and holding it to your heart. “I love you, too,” you mouthed back. Most mornings followed a similar pattern of quiet exchanges and longing glances. 

You turned away and padded to the bathroom. As you turned the hot water nozzle of the shower and set out your pile of pre-selected clothes, you couldn’t help but wonder how it was that you felt so close to Max and still somehow worlds apart. You knew that you were both madly, stupidly in love, have been for nearly five years now. But that didn’t make the underlying feeling any less. 

No, you can’t afford to start the day like this. Only manifesting positive things, you remind yourself. It’s not like you haven’t talked about this before, and Max does his best to make sure you know that you’re his number one. As you step into the steaming water your body relaxes, the hot water enough to soothe your body, mind, and soul. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

As you returned home from work you could hear the muffled sounds of Max debating with someone over the phone. You turn the key to your shared apartment, slowly pushing the door open just as Max finishes his call, slamming the phone back down into the wall unit. He hadn’t noticed you enter the room, one of his hands still gripping the phone cord and the other pressed on the kitchen counter supporting his weight. His head hung low, clumps of straightened hair falling out of place and hanging over his forehead. 

He slowly straightened his posture, back still turned to you standing only slightly closer now. He raised both hands to his face, dropping the mangle phone cord and covering his whole face, muffling a deep sigh. As he turned around you locked eyes for the second time today. This time was different. His eyes didn’t look nearly as bright as this morning and the stress of the day clear in the expression on his face. 

“Oh, you’re home, I’m sorry I didn’t hear you unlock the door.” He seems caught off guard by your presence, like you had just thrown a rock into the glass house that is his little world. He didn’t move, afraid any shift would cause the damn holding his emotions back to rupture. 

“Oh mi amor...come here.” You gesture with arms open wide. He didn’t need to say anything, you could see the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders and see the tears hiding in his eyes. Max strides over to you looking crestfallen and defeated. He had been holding the struggles of the day until you got there, but now there was no reason to hold back. Max collapsed into your arms as he began to sob. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks until they reached your shoulder, soaking into the fabric. He had his arms firmly around your waist and his head buried between your shoulder in the crook of your neck. You held him tightly, rubbing slow, small circles over the small of his back with one hand and cradled his head with the other. 

“Shh, shh mi amor está bien. No lloras, estoy aquí. It’s just us now.” You bury your fingers in his hair and begin to gently massage his scalp as his sobs begging to mellow and the sniffles lessen. Max holds you tighter, pulling your body close to his. You can feel the rhythm of his heart beat change as he relaxes deeper into your hold. The moment tugs at your heart, and you wish that you could give him something more. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” You coo to him, voice low and gentle. The type of tone that says this is security, this is safety. Max pulls back just enough to lift his head. His eyes are red and puffy, his cheeks damp and nose running. You pulled the sleeve of your shirt over your hand, hooking the edge over your thumb, and reached to his face to dab away the tears. His eyes close at the touch as he leaned into your hand. He nods his head yes and lets go of your waist, taking your now tear dampened hand in his and leads you to the sofa. The two of you plop down, you first leaning against the arm with legs stretched out along the length of the sofa and Max second, pressed up against your body to avoid falling off the side. You adjust yourself so that he was cradled perfectly in your arms with his head resting on your chest. 

Max took a deep breath in, holding just a second before he slowly released the air from his lungs. “That was one of my bigger investors. He doesn’t think that Black Gold Cooperative is going to hit the numbers he’d like to see in the next quarter. He wants out. Well, I guess now he is out. I don’t understand why, the company is growing, maybe not as fast as I expected but it is. Ugh- I just wish I could give them more.” Max rolled his head side to side across your chest in frustration. 

You leaned your head down to pepper the top of his head with soft kisses. His hair on your lips was soft and smelled faintly of his rosemary shampoo. You tried to fight the urge to bury your nose in his hair, to get lost in his presence, but almost immediately gave in. Even in his lowest moment, Max still manages to fill you with joy, even when he doesn't know it. 

“Baby, I’m so sorry,” you said as you lifted your head. “But you know, I think you don’t need him. I just know that you’re destined for great things. I can feel it.” 

Max rolled over to face you. He tucked his arms under your body and layed with his chest pressed against your stomach. He looked so much more relaxed. It was as if the raging ocean inside of him had lulled into gentle, rolling waves. The sparkle in his eyes had returned and the tension largely gone. 

“Mi amor, he dicho cuánto te quiero.” Max’s voice was low and raspy, and the question had come out more as a statement than a genuine question. You felt the palms of his hands flatten against your back, pressed between you and the fabric of the sofa. He buried his face in your shirt and let out a content sigh. You giggled as his breath tickled your skin through his clothes. You were so happy that he felt better; seeing him upset just broke your heart.

Max’s head snapped up, catching you off guard. The look on his face had changed, he looked lighter yet somehow, mischievous? 

“Hmmm did that tickle, mi amor?” Before giving you a moment to respond, he smooshed his face back into your stomach and blew a raspberry right above your naval. You couldn’t stop the laughter erupting from your core as your body scrunched around his head. Max continued to blow quick raspberries while relentlessly tickling your side. He had you pinned down under his body, there was no escape. His smile had grown and his eyes scrunched as he laughed along with you. 

“Max- Max!” You tried to gasp his name. Your core burned from the laughter but gosh, was your soul beaming. You managed to get a hand on his side, tickling him in return. He threw his head back and erupted with boisterous laughter that filled the room. You both layed a pile of giggling, twisted limbs as the world dissolved away around the bubble of peace and comfort you had created. 

That was, until Max rolled off the sofa and onto the floor. The sudden change shocked both of you and silence filled the air. You gasp and searched his face for any signs of pain. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you both erupted with laughter.

You thought of how just this morning you worried about the space between you. But now it was so clear, you and Max were closer than ever. Yeah, you’d have more ups and downs, but in the end everything was going to be okay.


End file.
